Dispatchers play key role in tracking police chase

Suspect gives up peacefully after hours-long chase, standoff

More than 48 hours after Martin County sheriff's deputies took down a suspect accused of shooting at police, dispatchers can still get a little adrenaline hit listening to the recording of the action.

"It's a heightened alert for all of us in the room," said dispatch supervisor Tami Howard, who listened to the recording exclusively for WPBF 25 News.

The recording was made during the hours-long incident Friday night that ended Saturday morning. Deputies said police in Miami-Dade County put out an urgent request to find a green conversion van after the driver was accused of shooting at an officer.

That van sped through Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties until it was stopped on northbound Interstate 95, south of Kanner Highway in Martin County.

The driver, identified by police as Samal Hammond, didn't give up when his car was disabled. The SWAT Team was called out and at one point a WPBF camera got the image of a weapon's laser site on Hammond's head.

"We had one of those classic situations we were afraid of," Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said. "Sometimes the suspect wants police to kill them."

In the end, Hammond gave up peacefully, an outcome in which dispatchers know they played a critical part.

"Of course, we always kind of pat ourselves on the back," dispatcher Natalie McFadden joked. "And it's much appreciated when they tell us we did a good job, you know, because it is a team effort."

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